Connector



Ja. 16, 1940. J. B. MADDEN CONNECTOR Filed July 5, 1958 I N VEN TOR.

Patented Jan. 16, 1940 UNITED STAT-Es PATEN'rf OFFICE -8 Claims.

'Ilie present invention relates to connectors, such as are used inattaching taps or lead-oi! wires to a current carrying conductor, andmore particularly to an improved connector of the so-called split bolttype.

An object of the invention is to provide improvements in a connector ofthe split bolt type, which will render the connector more easilyapplicable to a conductor than are the connectors now available.

Another object of the invention is to provide a connector which isstrong, practical and capable of being applied to conductors in a quickand eiective manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide a connector of the splitbolt type having a folylower and threaded means which can be first movedlongitudinally thereof, into engagement with the conductors and thenrotated to clamp the conductors rmly together.

Another object of the invention is to provide a connector of the splitbolt type having a follower with an internal and external threaded meansfor exerting a clamping pressure upon the follower.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable conductorseat for a connector of the split bolt type having a threaded means withan interrupted thread, of the type to be hereinafter described.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improvement inconnectors of the split bolt type which can be clamped upon theconnected conductors with its longitudinal axis disposed at an angle tothe conductors.

Other objects and advantages o the present invention will be in partpointed out hereinafter and in part evident to those skilled in the art,from an inspection of the accompanying drawing, wherein there is shownby way of illustration and not of limitation, preferred embodimentsthereof.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a complete connector applied to aconductor and tap, with a portion broken away and in section to show theconstruction thereof,

Figure 2 is a sectional view, taken along line II--II of Figure l,looking in the direction of arrows,

Iiigre 3 is a section, taken along line III- III of Figure 1, looking indirection of arrows and with the threaded nut rotated 90 from theposition illustrated in Figures 1 and 2,

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a preferred (Cl. 2li-243) form offollower, for use with a connector of the type illustrated in Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a side elevation of a modied form of connector constructedin accordance with this invention, with parts broken away and in 6section, to disclose the construction thereof,

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure' 5, taken at a right angle from theplane thereof, and having parts broken away and 'in section, to revealthe details of construction,

Figure 'I is a bottom view of the connector illustrated in Figure 5\ofthe drawing,

Figure 8 is a sectional view, taken along line VIII-VIII of Figure 5,looking in direction of u between the furcations il there is a followeri3 25 against the projecting ends of whichv the upper face of a threadednut i6 of special design, as will hereinafter appear, is adapted toengage.

The threads l2 upon the furcations li and the cooperating threads uponthe nutv lil are prei- 30 erably of the buttress type and are formed asa double thread. This type of thread gives a maximumof strength with aminimum of thread depth, and by providing a double thread, the

pitch thereof caribe more eectively increased, 35

to thus make possible a tightening of the nut it upon the split bolt lilwith a minimum of rotation thereof. The head or closed end of the splitbolt i0 may be cylindrical, hexagonal, square or of any other desiredshape, and its conductor engaging seat may be of any desiredconfiguration. As shown, the conductor receiving seat, designatedby thenumeral i5, is rounded, so as to rel ceive a stranded cable I6 againstwhich the doubled back end of a conductor Il is adapted to be clamped bythe follower I3 when the nut I4 is screwed tightly upon the furcationsli of the split bolt.

As illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawing, the

furcations Il of the'split bolt i0 are of segmental 50 cross-sectionwith the threads I2 extending around their outer curved surfaces. Atthis point it will be noted that the threads l2 stop short of the edgeof these segmental sections of the Iurcations il, and thus provide asmooth guide surface I 8 along each side thereof, over which theoverhanging ends I9 of the follower I3 are adapted to slide.

Sincerthe length of the threads I2 upon the furcations II will determinethe strength of the threaded connection with the nut I 0, it will bereadily seen that only an equal length of thread will be necessary uponthe threaded nut I2. Recognizing this fact, and as shown in Figure 3 ofthe drawing, I have provided the nut I4 with an interrupted thread byforming two oppositely disposed threaded portions 20 upon the insidethereof. When these threaded portions 20 are located out of registerwith the threads I2 upon the furcations II, as shown in this figure ofthe drawing, the nut I4 can be moved longitudinally of the split bolt I0to a point where the conductors I6 and I1 will be in contact with eachother. Then by a turning of the nut I4, the threads I2 and 29respectively upon the furcations II and the nut I4 can vbe brought intopressure exerting relation, so as to firmly clamp the conductors I6 andI1 together, by exerting a pressure upon the follower I3, as will bereadily understood. At this point it should be noted that the guidesurface I8 at the side of the furcations II also serve to center thethreaded portions 20 of the nut I4 with respect to the threads I2 uponthe furcations II of the split bolt. In order to simplify theapplication of the connector to a conductor, as above described, thefollower I3 is preferably loosely attached to the nut I4 by downwardly.extending tongues 2| having ends 22 which can be bent up and around thebottom of the nut I4, as indicated by dot and dash lines in Figure 4 ofthe drawing.

Connectors of the type contemplated are used primarily for making acircuit connection from a. live power transmitting electrical conductor,and for this reason, particularly on high voltage lines, the connectorsare applied by means of tools carried by the ends of long insulatingpoles which protect the lineman from the danger of shock. Therefore theconvenience with which a connector of this type can be applied to aconductor is of major importance.

With the above described arrangement it will be readily seen that afterthe split bolt I0 has been placed over the conductors I6 and I1, thefollower I3 and the nut I4 can be easily placed upon the furcations IIof the split bolt I0 in a convenient manner. and at the same time, byreason of the slidable characteristic of the nut I 4, the whole assemblycan be temporarily applied to the conductors with ease in one operationand later finally tightened by an additional rotation of the nut throughthe use of a socket or other type of wrench in the hand of the operatoror lineman.

Reference is now made to Figures 5 to 8 inclusive, of the drawing,wherein a connector, constructed in accordance with this invention, isshown as provided with two threaded elements which cooperate with thesplit bolt to exert a clamping pressure upon the connected conductors.In this embodiment of the invention, the connector comprises a splitbolt 23 with furcations 24 of semi-cylindricalcross-section havingthreads 25 and 2B formed respectively upon their inside and outsidesurfaces. In this device the threads 25 and 26 stop short of the limitsof the surfaces upon which they are formed, and thus provide a guide fora conductor engaging follower, designated by the numeral 21, and alsothe threads upon their respective associated threaded elements.Cooperating with the threads 26 upon the outsides of the furcations 24there is a nut 28 having an interrupted thread similar to that providedupon the nut I4 previously described, and cooperating with the threads28 upon the inside surfaces of the furcations 24, there is a threadedplug or screw 29 having a hexagonal cavity 39 for the reception of asuitable wrench. The threaded screw 29, as shown in Figures 7 and 8,like the nut 28, has oppositely disposed threaded portions 3I that areadapted to register with the threads 25 upon the inside of thefurcations 24 of the split bolt 23.

In order to provide for a unitary assembly of the follower 21, thethreaded nut 28 and the screw 29, so that these elements may be placedupon the split bolt 23 in a convenient manner, the follower 21, inaddition to having downwardly extending tongues 32 which are bentoutwardly at their ends so as to captivate the threaded nut 28, also hasa central opening through which an extension 33 upon the screw 29 isadapted to be projected and peened over to loosely hold the screw 29captive therewith. With this last described embodiment of the inventionit will be readily seen that by a proper choice of pitch and location ofthe threads 25 and 26 on the inside and outside of the furcations 24, itwill be possible to provide an arrangement wherein the threaded nut 28and the screw 29 may be progressively advanced in a clamping pressureexerting direction by the alternate application of a turning force uponthese elements.

Reference is now made to Figure 9 of the drawing, wherein there is showna modification of the invention similar to that above described, inwhich the split bolt, described by the numeral 34, is provided with anadditional clamping pressure exerting means in the form of an adjustableseat at the closed end thereof. In this embodiment of the invention, thehead of the split bolt 34 is provided with a threaded central opening 35which carries a screw 36 that is adapted to exert a clamping pressureupon a seat forming member 31 located at the lower end thereof. The seatforming member 31 is here shown as in the form of a loosely held ring,but it is to be understood that this member may take any suitable form.For example, it may be provided with a saddlelike conductor engagingportion which will engage a considerable length of the conductor, as isthe case with the follower 21 disposed opposite thereto. With thisarrangement, after the threaded nut 28 and the screw 29 have beenbrought into register with their respective cooperating threads upon thefurcations 24, it will be possible to exert an additional and finalclamping pressure upon the conductors I6 and I1 by a tightening of thescrew 36.

In Figure 10 of the drawing, there is shown a further modification ofthe present invention, in which the connector is designed so that whenit is clamped upon the conductors, its threaded furcations will extendbeyond the conductors at an angle thereto, to thus facilitate anapplication of and a threading of the nut thereupon by an operatorlocated at one side thereof. These connectors are primarily intended forestablishing connections with live transmission lines, and since theyare usually applied at a point upon the line closely adjacent a tower orsupporting pole, the lineman is compelled, when using the prior artconnectors, to lean outwardly from the pole or tower in applying theconnector to the line, and in doing this he must naturally rely upon hissafety belt for support. This diculty is overcome, in accordance withthe present embodiment of the invention, by the providing of a splitbolt, designated by the numeral 8l, with an angularly disposed conductorensuing seat 39 and associating therewith a follower 40 with a similarangularly disposed seat 4i which when tightened against the conductorsIl and I1 will cause the split bolt 38 to assume an angular positionupon the conductors. As shown, the follower 40 is provided with twocaptivating tongues I2 which loosely hold a nut ll thereupon, so thatwhen the split bolt Il is placed over the conductors I8 and I1, thefollower 4l with the threaded nut can be conveniently placed thereuponand tightened by an operator located in line therewith and at a pointnot necessarily immediately below the connector. If desired, the surfaceof the conductor engaging seat $0 upon the split bolt 38, and theconductor engaging surface 4| upon the follower 40 may be roughenedand/or otherwise' formed, to thus reduce the possibility of any slippingof the connector along the conductors Il and, i1, as when the same isbeing applied thereto. It will also be understood that the split boltsof all of the modifications of the invention described above may beprovided with a nut and follower captivating means, as is wellunderstood in the art.

While I have, for the sake of clearness and in order to disclose myinvention so that the same can be readily understood, described andillustrated specific devices and arrangements, I desire to have itunderstood that this invention is not limited to the specific meansdisclosed, but may be embodied in other ways that will suggestthemselves to persons skilled in the art. It is believed that thisinvention is new and it is desired to claim it so that all such changesas come within the scope of the appended claims are to be considered aspart of this invention.

.Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is- 1. In a connector of the split bolt type. thecombination of a split bolt having its closed end formed to provide aseat for a conductor, a follower disposed between the sides of said boltadapted to be engaged by a threaded element and cooperate with said seatto form clamping surfaces between which two or more conductors may beclamped, said split bolt having follower guiding surfaces and screwthreads formed upon the furcations thereof, a threaded element adaptedto cooperate with the threads upon said split bolt having its threadsinterrupted at oppositely disposed points to provide two oppositelydisposed threaded `areas and two oppositely disposed unthreaded areas ofsubstantially equal length, and

means carried by said follower engaging the guide surfaces upon thefurcations of said split bolt. whereby said threaded element when in oneposition maybe moved longitudinally of said split bolt to bring saidfollower into engagement with the conductors to be connected and thenrotated to engage its threads with the threads upon said split boltvtotighten said split bolt and follower into clamping engagement with saidconductors.

2. In a connector of the split bolt type. the combination of a splitbolt having its closed end formed to provide a seat for a conductor, afollower disposed between vthe sides of said bolt adapted to be engagedby a threaded element and cooperate with said seat to form clampingIsurfaces between which two or more conductors the threads upon saidsplit bolt having its threads interrupted at oppositely disposed pointsto provide two oppositely disposed threaded areas and two oppositelydisposed unthreaded areas, and guide surface engaging extensions uponsaid follower, whereby said threaded element when in one position may bemoved longitudinally of said split bolt to bring said follower intoengagement with the conductors to be connected and then rotated toengage its threads with thethreads upon said split bolt to tighten saidsplit bolt and follower into clamping engagement with said conductors.

3. In a connector of the split vbolt type. the combination of a splitbolt having its closed end formed to provide a seat for a conductor, afollower disposed between the sides of said bolt adapted to be engagedby a nut and cooperate with said seat to form clamping surfaces betweenwhich two or more conductors may be clamped.

said split bolt having screw threads formed upon the outside surface ofthe sides thereof, theends of the threads upon said split boltterminating at a point spaced from the split in said bolt to provideexternal guide surfaces along each edge thereof, and a nut having aninterrupted thread with the threaded portions arrange diametricallyopposite each other and of an arcuate length substantially equal "to thethreads upon the sides of said split bolt, and means carried by saidfollower adapted to engage the guide surfaces upon said bolt atthe endsof the threads thereupon and center said nut with respect to the threadsupon said split bolt, whereby said nut may be moved longitudinally ofsaid bolt free of the threads thereupon and subsequently rotated intothreaded engagement'withthe threads thereof to move said follower intoclamping relation with the seat upon said bolt.

4. In a connector of the split bolt type, the

combination of a split bolt having its closed end formed to provide'aseat for a conductor andV having its i'urcated ends extending in spacedparallel relation, a follower slidably disposed between the furcationsof said split bolt adapted. to be engaged by a threaded element andcooperate with said seat to form clamping surfaces between which two ormore conductors may be clamped,

the parallel extending furcations of said bolthaving screw threadsformed upon their inside and outside surfaces, a threaded elementadapted to cooperate with the threads upon the outside of saidfurcations having its threads interrupted at oppositely disposed pointsto provide oppositely disposed unthreaded areas substantially equal inarcuate length to the lengthof the threads upon the outside of saidfurcations, whereby said element' may move free of' said threadslongitudinally of said split bolt to bring said follower into engagementwith the conductors to be connected and then rotated to engage itsthreads with the threads upon said split bolt to tighten said followerinto clamping engagement withsaid conductors, and a second threadedelement disposed between the furcations of said split bolt likewisehaving interrupted threads thereupon, whereby when said second elementis in one position with respect to said furcations it may be movedlongitudinally of said bolt and into engagement with said follower andsubsequently rotated to bring its threads into engagement with thethreads upon the inside of said furcations to thus exert an additionalclamping force upon said follower.

5. In a connector of the split bolt type, the combination of a splitbolt having its closed end formed to provide a seat for a conductor andhaving' its furcated ends extending in spaced parallel relation, afollower slidably disposed between the furcations of said split boltadapted to be engaged by a threaded nut and cooperate with said seat toform clamping surfaces between which two or more conductors may beclamped, the parallel extending furcations of said bolt having screwthreads formed upon their inside and outside surfaces, a threaded nutadapted to cooperate with the threads upon the outside of saidfurcations having its threads interrupted at oppositely disposed pointsto provide oppositely disposed unthreaded areas substantially equal inarcuate length to the length of the threads upon the outside of saidfurations, whereby said nut may move free of said threads longitudinallyof said split bolt to bring said follower into engagement with theconductors to be connected and then rotated to engage its threads withthe threads upon said split bolt to tighten said split bolt and followerinto clamping engagement with said conductors, a threaded screw disposedbetween the furcations of said split bolt likewise having interruptedthreads thereupon,Y whereby said second element may move longitudinallyof said bolt free of the threads thereupon and into engagement with saidfollower and subsequently rotated to bring its threads into engagementwith the threads upon the inside of said furcations and thus exert anadditional clamping force upon said follower, and means carried by saidfollower for loosely holding said nut and said screw in cooperatingrelation therewith, whereby said nut and screw and said follower may bemoved along the furcations of said bolt as a unit when the threadscarried thereby are out of engagement with the threads upon saidfurcations.

6. In a connector of the split bolt type, the combination of abifurcated bolt having a closed end adapted to be placed over two ormore conductors, a follower disposed between the bifurcated ends of saidbolt adapted to be engaged by a threaded element and also engage saidconductors, said bifurcated bolt having screw threads formed upon thefurcations thereof, a threaded element adapted to cooperate with thethreads upon said bifurcated bolt having its threads interrupted atoppositely disposed points to provide two oppositely disposed unthreadedareas substantially equal in arcuate length to the length of the threadsupon said furcations, whereby said threaded element may be movedlongitudinally of said bifurcated bolt free of the threads thereupon tobring said follower into engagement with the conductors to be connectedand then rotated' to engage its threads with the threads upon saidbifurcated bolt to tighten said follower against the conductors, andthreaded means carried by the closed end of said bifurcated bolt adaptedto provide an adjustable seat for said conductors, whereby saidconductors will be tightly clamped by said connector when said threadedelement is rotated to bring its threaded areas into register with thethreads upon the furcations of said bifurcated bolt.

'7. In a connector of the splitl bolt type, the combination of a splitbolt having its closed end formed to provide a conductor engaging seatextending at an angle to the normal axis of said bolt, said split bolthaving screw threads formed upon the extending furcations thereof, saidthreads terminating at a point short of the split in said split bolt toprovide external guide surfaces at each end thereof, a threaded elementextending around and adapted to be threaded upon the furcations of saidbolt, and a follower captively carried by said threaded element anddisposed between the furcations of said bolt having oppositely disposedguide surface engaging extensions and being movable by a turning of saidthreaded element upon said bolt into con-v ductor clamping relation withthe conductor engaging seat at the closed end of said split bolt, saidfollower also having its conductor engaging surface disposed at an angleto the axis of said bolt and parallel with the surface of said conductorengaging seat, whereby the furcated ends of said split bolt will extendover the conductors to be connected at an angle with respect to the axisof said conductors and said follower will be retained against lateraldisplacement when subjected to a clamping pressure by a rotation of saidthreaded element.

8. In a connector of the split bolt type, the combination of a splitbolt having its closed end formed to provide a seat for a conductor,said split bolt having screw threads formed upon the outside surface ofthe sides thereof, the ends of the threads upon said bolt terminating ata point spaced from the split in said bolt to provide external guidesurfaces along each side of the split in said bolt, a nut having aninterrupted thread with threaded portions arranged diametricallyopposite each other and of an arcuate length substantially equal to thethreads upon the sides of said split bolt, whereby said nut may be movedlongitudinally of said bolt free of the threads thereupon andsubsequently rotated into threaded engagement with the threads thereof,a follower captively carried by said nut, and oppositely extending guidesurface engaging portions at each side of said follower adapted toengage the external guide surfaces at the ends of the threads upon saidsplit bolt, whereby the interrupted threads upon said nut will becentered with respect to the screw threads upon said split bolt by saidfollower.

JOHN B. MADDEN.

